The Ring Saga Part 6
by Griffbear
Summary: An alternate universe where the sisters find a strange unassuming marble ring that somehow fits Phoebe perfectly.... Part 6


**Part 6: A new look**

**Piper smiled, making her way across the island in the center of the kitchen, continuing with preparation for dinner. **

**A soundless lightning bolt flung Piper across the room as a blonde haired warlock shimmered out of the wall, with a smirk across his face. Phoebe screamed, "PIPER!", and rushed toward her slumped form. She slapped Piper's cheeks futilely in an attempt to wake her up. His voice, menancing, stated, "Now you are powerless, witches!" Prue stood there with a livid expression on her face. "Take this!" She gestured with her hand, as to backhand him, only to be surprised that it had no effect. Santiago laughed. A sinister cackle emerged from his throat. A shimmering bolt of lightning appeared in his cradled palm. **

**Prue had barely enough time to utter, "What's going on?", as Santiago let loose a violent burst of lightning toward Prue, hitting her in the chest, and flinging her against the refrigerator with a dull thump. She slid downward, unconcious, toward the floor. **

**"PRUE!" Phoebe shouted, attempting to crawl quickly toward Prue's body. As she reached Prue, the warlock grinned malovently. "It is no use, Witch. You are all alone." **

**Phoebe slowly stood up, facing Santiago, with courage, and fear mingling into one expression. Voice trembling, she clenched her fists, and said, "No. Not while they're still alive. Even if they do die, I will still be surrounded by those I love." **

**This seemed to enrage Santiago, spurring him into action. Snarling, he closed his fist around Phoebe's neck picking her up, his eyes blazing with blue rage. Phoebe twisted in his strong grasp trying to kick him anywhere, to let go without any success. She began losing her ability to breathe, her sight began to black out. She held onto his wrist, but it was a losing fight. Frantic thoughts ran through her mind. **

**/ I can't die! This is not how the premonition is supposed to end! If I have to die, I'll go out fighting. /**

**As she neared unconciousness, a rebellious surge of emotion welled up inside her. Primal instinct roared from within the recesses of her soul, and met the ring's strength. Phoebe's eyes snapped open with a distinctive feral glow in her eyes. **

**Surprised by Phoebe's reaction, his grip loosened for a mere second, but that was all she needed. Planting her hands on Santiago's chest, now growing with a feral tinge, furred, and large talons, shoved him backwards. He staggered back, looking at his chest, which had several deep gashes from her shove. **

**Phoebe, panting heavily, and a wild feral look in her expression, regarded Santiago warily, and attacked. Santiago swerved out of the way, and muttered a word to himself. His face looked aghast as nothing happened. **

**"Damn. What the hell is going on? They're not healing!", muttered a nervous Warlock, as he attempted to avoid Phoebe-Feral's repeated slashings. A semi-sentient Phoebe-Feral, with only fury, and single minded intent in her mind, slashed out once more. The confused warlock felt his blood seeping into his clothes, and slowly ebbing away. **

**Santiago took a hesitant step in the wrong direction, his mind fuzzy with blood loss, and body weakened. Phoebe-Feral, seeing a clear path, lunged at the disoriented warlock, and swung a taloned paw across the warlock's neck, neatly severing his head. Phoebe-Feral's goal satisfied, stepped back, breathing heavily with exertion, watching the warlock's body engulf itself into white hot flames, disintegrating itself. **

**Phoebe-Feral's upright figure was still covered in fur that had sprouted during the fight, but her emotions were raging out of control. A rain of light and blue orbs materialized into Leo's form, startling Phoebe into an attack stance. **

**Leo held out his palms and shouted, "Wait, Phoebe!" Phoebe-Feral stopped, hearing a slightly familiar voice. The voice seemed to be trying to soothe her. He slowly knelt by her sisters and laid his healing hands on them, reviving them. He faced Phoebe-Feral, and slowly approached her, not making any sudden moves. The soothing voice continued. **

**"Phoebe, It's ok. Your sisters are going to be ok. Just calm down. Try to think of who you were."**

**Phoebe-Feral puzzled the words out, after a long moment's silence. Phoebe-Feral nodded slightly, remembering a dim image of who she was. As that image came into focus, clarity began to flow inside her mind, regaining more control over her emotions. She focused deeply on her soul's image, then slowly, the fur that sprouted began to recede, and talons became fingers. She glanced at Leo puzzledly. "What's going on, Leo?" **

**"Phoebe...You passed your test." Phoebe smiled awkwardly. "I see. My sisters??" **

**"Ooohhh...", moaned the oldest sister Prue as she got to her feet wearily. "I feel like I've been hit by a Mack Truck...", continued Prue as she blinked to get her bearings. Piper cradled her head gingerly and used the counter to pull herself to her feet. **

**"Apparently the warlock knew somehow that you were immune to his powers. So he bound your sister's powers.", explained an enlightened, if annoyed Leo. **

**Prue sighed, "Let me guess...They just told you." Leo nodded. **

**He continued, "Also, Phoebe did pass her test as the 'One', which they explained was that she had to discover her inner strength and embody it as one of her animal forms. Problem is that it can only happen when she's near death. I'm assuming you took care of the warlock, Phoebe?" **

**Phoebe nodded uncertainly. "I think so. I can't remember much from it, but I remember flames, which I guess does mean he was vanquished." **

**Piper groaned with slight pain. Leo looked at her with concern. "You ok, Piper?" **

**She waved a dismissing hand, with a nod. "Yeah. I'm ok. Just a bit groggy. What hit me?" **

**"A lightning blast.", was Phoebe's quiet reply. **

**"And we're still alive?", was Piper's astonished question. Leo smiled and nodded softly.**

**Phoebe gathered Prue and Piper into a hug, trembling because it could have been the last time, as sisters. As the Charmed Ones. The three sisters held onto each other for a long time, until Leo cleared his throat. **

**They broke apart to gaze at Leo with questions in his eyes.**

**"Um...you probably should unbind your powers.", was Leo's suggestion. **

**Piper shakily laughs. "Of course, Leo. Let's go do that right now." **

**In the attic, Phoebe grabbed a piece of paper, and scribbled something down quickly. **

**Phoebe waved the paper toward her sisters, and suggested, "Here, let's use this one." The other two nodded and the three recited:**

**"Our powers that were bound, let them roam free again. **

**By the sun and the sea, the land and the air, the witches,**

**Savior of the Innocents, Let our powers roam free!"**

**The three sisters chanted this three times. Piper and Prue felt a tingling traveling through their bodies, as if it was unbinding something that held them tight. **

**Prue smiled as she gestured, bringing a chair toward them. "I guess our powers are back.", was Prue's remark. Piper chuckled as she threw a feather, and froze it, and let it float back down. **

**Phoebe was strangely deep in thought, and silent. **

**"This ring ...it's...alive." Phoebe's whisper did nothing to comfort her sisters, and served to puzzle them even more.**

**Piper leaned forward, asking, "What?" Prue's expression was blank with surprise. Leo stood immobile, shock on his face.**

**FIN**


End file.
